The
word clown comes from words meaning
"clot" or "clod"
which came also to mean "clumsy
fellow", according to the Oxford
English Dictionary. Clown is both
a noun and a verb, and can also be
an adjective (clown bike, clown shoes,
clown white, clown gag and so on).
Clown is also used to refer to anyone
who provides entertainment in a clownish
manner. Among professional clowns,
"clown" often refers to
the character portrayed, rather than
the performer. This usage is somewhat
rare outside of the professional clown
and/or theatrical community. In anthropology,
the word clown refers to a person
who wears an outrageous costume while
functioning as an entertaining social
critic (see clown society). Clowning
is a form of entertainment which has
appeared in some manner in virtually
every culture. In most cultures the
clown is a ritual character associated
with festival or rites of passage
and is often very different from the
most popular western form.
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